The present invention relates to the provision of thermo-irreversible get particles for use in foods.
Recently, there has been an extensive emphasis on diet with the goal of reducing caloric and cholesterol intake. One of the major means of accomplishing this goal is the reduction of the intake of fat. Numerous fat mimics products are known and many are available commercially. One such product is an oat based extract patented under U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,996,063 and 5,082,673 issued to G. Inglett and identified as Oatrim. This product is the solids portion of the soluble fraction that remains after the partial hydrolysis of oat flour with .alpha.-amylase enzyme. The product has a elevated content of .beta.-glucan. In addition to acting as a fat mimic, the product also has the benefit of the known ability of oat soluble fiber and .beta.-glucan to reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood.
While Oatrim has been used in various food systems as a fat mimic or replacer, it has various limitations relative to the area of use. In particular, Oatrim has been added to various ground meat products in order to prepare a reduced fat meat patty or sausage. However, Oatrim by itself in meat products, while providing cook yields, provides a meat product that exhibits a weak or musky texture. Oatrim as presently constituted cannot be used effectively as a fat mimic to satisfy these characteristics and conditions.
It has been discovered that Oatrim compositions can be prepared which provide good yield and good water-holding capacity while providing a fat reduced product with the visual, taste and mouth feel properties characteristic of a full fat meat product.